The craziest part, is how we went from an amazing D with a poor O, to a great Offense with a bad Defense. Now, all of our development is on the offensive side (hello golf coach). In my humble opinion, I think it's a mix of coaching and talent, but Bo's scheme requires fast guys (this isn't Norm Parkers cover 2) and he hasn't had them. Should he have altered his D? Probably. But when it's what you do, and do well, it's hard to adjust.
Our recruiting is following that trend as well. If you'd have told me 4 years ago that Nebraska would be recruiting some of the top WRs in the nation...I'd have laughed at you. 2012 I think (more blindly hoping) will prove to be Bo's best defensive haul.
2011, defensively has been a total bust. Santos is the only defensive contributer left in that entire class. CJ may step up this year...but 1 guy out of an entire class? Hurts.
2010 class? 2, maybe 3 guys are contributors as juniors/seniors.
2009 - 1 guy is currently contributing as a senior?
Basically, if you look at recruiting...Bo could have not recruited a single defensive player for 3 years...and we'd field almost the same defensive unit as we will this year. And what worries me is the 2010 class looked pretty good defensively a couple of years ago, and the 2011 class looked awesome, full of upgraded talent a year ago.
So it's why I'm sort of blindly hoping the 2012 class will turn into Bo's best defensively...because at this point in all of his other class (18 months post signing day) - all his past classed looked pretty dang good too. Then they actually were expected to play football...and poof, reality set in.